Document by4z99oV59x5OVajw2BQ9G6kk
Ga s o l i n e Co r p o r a t io n
Ch r y s l e r Bu il d in g
1 3 5 E a s t 4 2 1!? St r e e t
K e w Y o r k ' A pril 17, 1934.
v s. S hell Petroleum C orporation
D r. E obert A. Kehoe, C ollege o f M edicine, Eden & B ethesda A ves., C in c in n a ti, O hio.
Dear D r. Kehoe:
A few days a f t e r r e c e ip t o f your l e t t e r o f M arch 5 th
addressed to D r. Edgar reg ard in g th is case I w rote S h e ll Petroleum ,
copy of which i s e n clo sed .
.
I a ls o e n c lo se copy o f th e acknowledgm ent by S h e ll and t h e i r l e t t e r o f th e 6 th i n s t a n t w ith th e memorandum from M r. Cunningham referred to .
A ll th ese m atters had p rev io u sly been brought to th e a t t e n t i o n o f o u r a t t o r n e y , M r. B. C. L o d e r, o f t h i s C ity , who w ro te to t h e d e f e n d a n t a n d me on t h e l t h i n s t a n t -- c o p i e s a r e e n c l o s e d .
I t would be a p p re c ia te d i f you w ould talee c a re o f t h i s m a tte r a s you th in k m ost a d v is a b le on h e a rin g from Mr. Cunningham o r some o th e r a p p a r e n tly a u th o r iz e d so u rc e i n b e h a lf o f th e d e fe n d a n t.
I t i s , as in d ic a te d by Mr. .L o d e r, to th e i n t e r e s t o f S h e ll as w ell as o u rselv es th a t your re la tio n s w ith th e E thyl G asoline Corpor a tio n should n o t be d isc lo s e d . Of co u rse, in t h is connection i t is obvious to a l l co n cern ed th a t such r e la tio n s h ip would undou b ted ly be d is c lo s e d in th e e v en t you sh o u ld make th e ex am in atio n and ap p ear a t th e t r i a l -- i f th e r e w as a t r i a l . H ow ever, t h i s i s a lw a y s a. r i s k t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t m u st t a k e i f he a v a ils .h im s e lf o f y our know ledge o f th e s u b je c t to th e e x te n t o f having you e i t h e r make th e e x a m in atio n o r ;b e p r e s e n t a t th e tim e i t i s m ade a n d w i t h t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f y o u r b e in g c a l l e d a s a< w i t n e s s .
I am in fo r m e d t h a t i f "the a t t o r n e y s S i r t h e p l a i n t i f f a r e a s w ould b e I n d ic a te d try th e i n i t i a l s s ig n e d on th e p e t i t i o n , M e ssrs. Cunningham &,W a lk e r, th e n t h e d e fe n d a n t i s u p a g a i n s t some v e r y c le v e r and dangerous a tto r n e y s , whose p r a c tic e i s alm o st e x c lu s iv e ly t h a t o f damage su its fo r p la in tiffs .
Very ti
A:H
M arch 8 , IS M
StLaiXgf, S t e l i , ?e% T3Xey&_52XI U+
S h e ll Petroleum C o rp o ratio n , S h e ll B u ilding, S t. L ouis, M issouri,
G entlem en*
A t t e n t i o n ; .... T a y l o r , V ic e . P r e s i d e n t
T h a n k y o u fo rsm d lB g us a copy of the p e titio n in th e s u it file d a g a in s t you by
I t would a p p e a r th a t n e ith e r th e p l a i n t i f f n o r h is a tto r n e y h as any ' . v ery d e f in ite id e a a s to j u s t what m a te ria ls produced h is a lle g e d in ju r y . Be c la im s, a s you know, a l l Banner and ty p e s o f exposure and a c ts o f o m is s io n and com m ission a n,d a ssu ra n c e s o f s a f e ty , e t c . upon th e p a r t o f th e s e v e r a l d e fe n d a n ts, a s a r e s u l t o f w hich one hag no way o f d e te rm in in g b e fo re h a n d w hich ty p e o f in ju r y w i l l b s t r e s s e d o r t h e p a r t i c u l a r n e g l i g e n t a c t o r n e t s b r i n g i n g s u c h i n j u r y a b o u t .
We h a v e a s s o c i a t e d w i t h u s a n u m b er o f p h y s i c i a n s who h a v e m ade a s tu d y o f t h e h a z a r d s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e u s e o f E t h y l f o r a num ber o f y e a r s , a n d we w ould be pleased to have one o f th ese ph y sician s co n su lt w ith your p h ysician regarding a p h y sic a l exam ination of th e p l a i n ti f f , i f one has a lre a d y bees had by you, o r to be
p re se n t i f i t could,be, arranged a t an exam ination to be had in th e f u tu r e . I f such w ere so a rra n g e d , I th in k i t would be a d v is a b le and In th e i n t e r e s t o f th e d e fe n se t h a t such p h y s ic ia n a s we may h av e c o n s u lt w ith y o u rs do so in th e c a p a c ity o f y o u r p h y s ic ia n . F o r i f i t should be d isc lo s e d th a t he was a s so c ia te d w ith u s a t th e tim e o f th e ex am ination, th e p la in tif f * s a tto rn e y o r p h y sician s ig h t conclude th a t you and o u rs e lv e s w ere a p p re h e n siv e t h a t w hatever in ju r y th e p l a i n t i f f may have s u s ta in e d , i f m y, was due t o e x p o su re to t e t r a e t h y l le a d , and c au se them to do ev ery th in g p o s s ib le to f o r t i f y t h e i r p o s itio n in th a t r e s p e c t. W hereas w ith th e p e titio n a s now fram ed i t may be v e ry d i f f i c u l t in d ee d f o r t h e p l a i n t i f f t o s in g le o u t an y p a r t i c u l a r th in g o r t o c a u se him to th in k t h a t an y p a r t i c u l a r e x p o su re b ro u g h t a b o u t h is claim ed in ju r y .
l a th e e v e n t th e ca se sh o u ld p ro ceed t o t r i a l i t m ight be t h a t you would w ish our a tto rn e y to s i t in w ith yours and co o p erate in th e p re p a ra tio n and be p res en t to render such a ssista n c e as your atto rn ey n ig h t th in k he ecuId read er a t the t r i a l . T h is we would h e p lea se d to do i f y o u r a tto r n e y re q u e ste d I t .
T here would h e n o expense to you f o r s e rv ic e s ren d ered o r d isb u rsem en ts in cu rre d by our p h y sic ia n o r a tto rn e y in cooperating, as suggested i f you should d e sire such type o f co operation,
lo u rs very tru ly , AiH E. ?{. V.KBB
COPY
SHELL PETROLEUM CORPORATION ' S h ell B uilding . S t .L o u i s , Mo.
M arch 17, 1954.
Ee S h e ll P etroleum Corn e t a l
E thyl G asoline C orporation, C hrysler B u ild in g , New Y o rk , N . I .
G entlem en:
A t t e n t i o n : M r. E . W. T/ebb
Y'e w is h t o t h a n k you f o r y o u r l e t t e r o f M arch 3 and y o u r k i n d o f f e r t o a s s i s t u s i n t h e d e f e n s e o f t h e a b o v e c a s e . We h a v e t r a n s m i t t e d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a i n e d i n y o u r l e t t e r t o o u r a t t o r n e y s , who w i l l d e t e r m ine w hether th e p l a i n t i f f 's a lle g e d exposure to le a d i s o f s u f f i c i e n t m ag n itu d e t o j u s t i f y th e a c c e p ta n c e o f y o u r o f f e r . You w i l l h e a r from our a tto rn e y s d ir e c t on th is su b je c t a t an e a rly d a te .
Yours v ery tr u ly ,
SHELL PETROLEUM CORPORATION J . F . M. T a y l o r V ice P re sid e n t
CED: DCH C .c. P u b lic R e la tio n s D ept.
0011502
COPI
SHELL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
SHELL BUILDING
.
ST. LOUIS
MO. .
-
A p rii 6, 1954.
E thyl G asoline C orp o ratio n , C hrysler B uilding, New Y o rk C i t y , New Y o rk .
G entlem en:
A t t e n t i o n : M r. E . W. Webb
In re:
v s . S h e ll Petroleum o r o o r a t i on e a l ____________________
' M r. J . F . M. T a y l o r , V ic e P r e s i d e n t , h a s r e f e r r e d t o u s h is correspondence w ith you on su b je c t m a tte r.
O ur l e g a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e , M r. G eo rg e . C unningham , Mayo B u ild in g , T u ls a , Oklahoma, i s in ch arg e o f p r e p a ra tio n o f o u r d e fe n se . e h a v e now r e c e i v e d fro m M r. C unningham a m em orandum , co p y o f w h ic h we. a r e a t t a c h i n g . You w i l l n o te t h a t M r. Cunningham i s o f t h e o p in io n t h a t ' your p h y sician and atto rn ey can be o f g rea t a ssista n c e to us in preparing o u r d e f e n s e . He h a s r e q u e s te d u s to a s c e r t a i n an d fo rw a rd t o him th e name o f th e p h y s ic ia n and a t t o r n e y who w i l l a s s i s t . I n o r d e r t o p r e v e n t d e la y we s u g g e s t t h a t you a d v i s e M r. C unningham d i r e c t .
I f you have any l it e r a tu r e on th e e ffe c ts o f E th y l and o th er g a s e s u s e d a ro u n d a r e f i n e r y on t h e human s y s te m , we should, a p p r e c ia t e y o u r f o r w arding same t o M r. Cunningham . I t w ould be a p p re c ia te d i f you w ould l e t u s have a copy o f yo u r l e t t e r to M r. Cunningham.
Yours v e ry t r u l y , '
SHELL PETROLEUM-CORPORATION C arl B arker^ Manager P u b lic R e la tio n s
.
MEG:MK
..
cc: T u ls a , Oklahoma -
G eo. W. Cunningham
cc: M anufacturing D ept. -
J . E . M. T a y l o r
By M.- B . G r a n t__________ ... L e g a l S e c t i o n ..- >,
^
X E 0011503
COPY
SHELL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
Mayo B u i l d in g
T u lsa, O kla.
LEGAL DEPARTMENT
DATE: APRIL 4 , 1954
TO PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT ST, LOUIS
SHELL.PETROLEUM COR PORATION, NO. 220 8 7 , DISTRICT COURT OF COWLEY COUNTY KANSAS. ' -
S i n c e r e c e i v i n g y o u r l e t t e r o f t h e 2 0 t h l a s t . we h a v e w r i t t e n p l a i n t i f f ' s a t t o r n e y s r e q u e s t i n g t h a t we h e p e r m i t t e d t o h a v e M r. Mumme exam i n e d b y o u r p h y s i c i a n s , and t h e y h a v e a g r e e d t o t h i s p r o v i d i n g we w i l l f u r n i s h them w ith a d u p lic a te re p o r t of th e fin d in g s o f th e p h y s ic ia n s ,.a l l expenses, of course, to be defrayed by u s.
We a r e s u r e t h a t E t h y l G a s o lin e C o r p o r a tio n * s p h y s i c i a n a n d a t t o r n e y could be of g re a t a ssista n c e to us In th e p re p a ra tio n and t r i a l of th is case,, s in c e th ey have un d o u b ted ly had a g r e a t number o f s im ila r e x p e rie n c e s, and re. w o u ld t h e r e f o r e a p p r e c i a t e y o u r a d v i s i n g t h i s com pany t h a t we a c c e p t t h e i r o f f e r o f a s s is ta n c e in t h i s c a se and re q u e s t them to have t h e i r p h y s ic ia n and a tto r n e y g e t i n to u c h w ith u s . I t may be t h a t t h i s c o r p o r a tio n h as an a tto r n e y a t W ic h ita and, i f so, he m ight be q u ite h e lp fu l in our f ig h t to keep t h is case in th e F e d e ra l C o u rt. I f you w i l l a s c e r ta in and fo rw a rd to u s th e name o f th e p h y s ic ia n a n d a t t o r n e y t h a t m i l a s s i s t i n t h i s c a s e , we w i l l g e t I n t o u c h w i t h them a n d arran g e f o r a p h y sical exam ination o f claim an t a t an e a rly date;.
I t I s o ro b a b le t h a t t h i s company h a some l i t e r a t u r e on th e e f f e c t s o f E th y l and th e o th e r g a s e s u se d around th e r e f i n e r y upon th e human system a n d , i f s o , we s h o u ld l i k e v e r y much t o h a v e s u c h l i t e r a t u r e .
We h a v e n o t y e t d e c id e d upon a p h y s i c i a n t o e x am in e' M r. Mumme, a n d i t may b e t h a t t h e p h y s ic ia n o f E t h y l G a s o lin e C o r p o r a tio n w i l l be I n a p o s i t i o n to a s s i s t u s in s e le c tin g a to x ic o lo g is t f a m ilia r w ith th e g a ses which p l a i n t i f f a lle g e s have in c a p a c ita te d him .
G eo . W. C unningham
G C MW cc - Land D epartm ent
t f E 0011504
COPI
BENJAMIN C. LODER 17 John S tr e e t
' N.Y.
A p rii 12, 1954.
M r. E . W. Webb E thyl G asoline C orporation 155 E ast 42nd S tre e t New Y o rk , N. I .
Re: vs S h e ll Petroleum Corp. e t a l
Dear E arle:
I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h my c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h you t o d a y I h a v e w r i t t e n Mr G e o rg e W. C unningham , c o p y o f w h ic h I e n c l o s e . I h a v e a l s o m a ile d a c o p y o f my l e t t e r t o H r . C unningham t o M r. B a r k e r o f t h e S h e l l P e tr o le u m C orporation in accordance w ith th e req u est in h is l e t te r of A p ril 6 th .
I u n d e rsta n d t h a t you w i l l comm unicate w ith D r. Kehoe a sk in g him to comply w ith any re q u e s t t h a t he may r e c e iv e from M r. Cunningham to e ith e r exam ine th e p l a i n t i f f o r a tte n d a t th e tim e o f h is exam ination by a p h y s ic ia n o f M r. C unningham 's s e le c tio n and to c o o p e ra te in e v e ry p o ssib le way, from a m edical sta n d p o in t, in th e d efen se of th e a c tio n a g a in s t th e S h e ll P e tro le u m C o r p o r a tio n . As m en tio n ed i n o u r c o n v e rs a tio n I th in k i t would be w e ll to c a u tio n D r. Kehoe t h a t a copy o f th e r e p o r t o f any ex am in atio n he may be r e q u e s te d t o make w i l l have t o be f u r n is h e d to p l a i n ti f f 1s a tto rn e y s and fo r th a t reaso n he should om it, in such r e p o r t, any c o n fid e n tia l su g g estio n s or c o n c lu sio n s. A lso th a t h is re la tio n s w ith th e E th y l G asoline C orporation should not be d isc lo se d .
Yours v e ry tr u ly ,
B enj. C. Loder ( signed)
COPI
A p ril 12, 1954.
T u ls a , Oklahoma.
L e g a l Dent.. S h e ll P etro leu m C o rp o ra tio n
In re:
v s. S h ell
Petroleum C orporation e t a l
Dear S ir:
I have a copy o f your com m unication o f A p ril 4 th to th e P u b lic R e la tio n s D epartm ent o f th e S h e ll P e tro leu m C o rp o ratio n r e f e r r in g to th e above c a s e . Mr. Webb, P r e s i d e n t o f t h e E t h y l G a s o lin e C o r p o r a tio n , h a s r e q u e s te d me t o w r i t e you th a t in accordance w ith your su g g estio n th e firm of B rooks, Brooks & F leeson o f W ic h ita , K ansas, w i l l be a d v ise d to com m unicate w ith you and o f f e r t h e i r co o p e ra tio n in th e d e fe n se o f t h is s u i t . A lso t h a t D r. R o b ert A. K ehoe, C ollege, o f M ed icin e, Eden & B eth esd a A venues, C in c in n a ti, O hio, w ill be g la d to render-every p o ssib le a id in connection w ith th e p re p a ra tio n o f"th e m edical fe a tu re s . However, as you can w e ll a p p re c ia te , th e E th y l G a so lin e C o rp o ratio n does n o t w ish to have i t s a c tiv itie s in th is re sp e c t d isc lo se d and, con seq u en tly , they w ish to have i t d is tin c tly understood th a t as f a r as p la in tiff* s a tto rn e y s are concerned, th e s e rv ic e s of I 'r. Kehoe w ill be used as th o se o f an e x p e rt f o r your Company and t h a t any a c t i v i t i e s upon th e p a r t o f B ro o k s, B rooks & F le e so n w i l l be in the n ature of your consulting atto rn ey s.
To a v o id d e la y p o s s ib ly i t would be a d v is a b le f o r you t o com m unicate
w ith D r. Kehoe d i r e c t l y a t t h e above a d d re s s and a d v is e him when h i s s e r v ic e s
w ill be re q u ire d .
_
Yours v ery tr u ly ,
BCL. CAH
CC: M r. C a r l B a r k e r , M gr. P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s 1-S h e ll Petroleum C orp.
B. G. L o d e r
0011506